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Mobile Monday: Accelerating Ads, Go-Karts, & Ourselves

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Mobile Monday: Accelerating Ads, Go-Karts, & Ourselves

Blog

Mobile Monday: Accelerating Ads, Go-Karts, & Ourselves

Posted Feb 5, 2018

In this edition of Mobile Monday, we’re exploring how things are accelerating, whether it’s mobile advertising in the UK, Nintendo’s publishing cycle of mobile games, or Nike’s efforts to get us moving.

UK Advertising Tilts to Mobile
According to a new study published by WARC, mobile advertising’s tilting point has occurred in the UK. Last fall, advertisers in the UK spent more on mobile campaigns than they did on television, the first time this has happened.

Indeed, while the overall advertising market in the country rose 3.5% over the previous year, mobile grew 30.7%. Meanwhile, overall television spending fell 0.8% in 2017.

Mario Kart on Mobile
While mobile advertising sales are accelerating in the UK, Mario fans — and those mourning the demise of Miitomo — will all have reason to hit the accelerator soon: Mario Kart is coming to mobile. The mobile version will be titled Mario Kart Tour and is expected to launch in Q1 2018. As the Nintendo of America Twitter account put it,

“The checkered flag has been raised and the finish line is near. A new mobile application is now in development: Mario Kart Tour.”

The timeline on this release could suggest that Nintendo is ramping up its mobile app publishing timeline, suggesting that even though they are shuttering its first official mobile app Miitomo, the gaming powerhouse is still quite excited about mobile.

Nike to Reward Movement
While we’ll soon be hoping for our karts to go faster in Mario Kart Tour, Nike is hoping they can get everyone moving more out in the world. Essentially, users of the Nike Run Club app or the Nike Training Club app will begin to earn rewards for workouts. According to their announcement, these rewards will include things like access to Apple Music, guided meditation, ClassPass credits, and other personalized promotions.

What makes this reward system interesting is twofold. First, users are being rewarded for real world behavior, a feat made possible by the inherent technology of mobile devices. Second, the rewards extend beyond the app itself. While most in-app reward systems provide rewards that are usable only within the given app, this system leverages partnerships to offer complementary rewards via partners.

About AdColony Mobile Mondays
Mobile Monday examines the latest news, trends, and developments in mobile apps, tech, and advertising. Do you have a story to share for the next Mobile Monday? Tweet it to @AdColony. For the latest AdColony mobile news and updates, follow @AdColony on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or connect on Linkedin.

AdColonist, poet, and nerd, Barbie keeps both the advertiser and publisher in mind in her role as the Director of Marketing. To be featured in one one of her recurring features or participate in an upcoming industry study, simply email marketing@adcolony.com.